TIMS-SQL

1
TIMS-SQL

• Preparing for the Conversion

2
TIMS-SQL Introduction

• TIMS-SQL will be installed in two parts.
• Part 1 TIMS-SQL also called Advanced is
  similar to what you use now use the launch pad
  to enter different modules. Windows are slightly
  different/more streamlined. This is where you
  will make map edits, run maintenance and use
  boundary planning.
• Part 2 ESQL module. Most users can accomplish
  95 of their daily work with this module. Here
  you will find easy to use screens that include
  tabbed pages to navigate and windows that can be
  docked and undocked for custom screen layouts.

3
TIMS-SQL

• We expect the complete process of converting all
  NC LEAs to take between 2 - 3 years.
• Things we are taking into consideration to choose
  sites for conversion.
• Hardware meets specs set by Edulog
• SQL Database Software purchased by LEA if
  necessary
• You must have a GIS map in place (real world x/y
  coordinates)
• No major redistricting or opening/closing of
  schools planned in the near future
• Clean Data (more on this on the next slides)
• Best Practice implementation (upstus, backups
  etc.)
• LEAs that have expressed desire to convert
• Use the SQL upgrade as a means to Clean House.
• Un-used stops? runs? routes?

4
Hardware specs considerations

• Windows Server 2008R2 Standard (x64)
• Virtual or physical server
• Virtual machines should be configured with a
  single virtual CPU with four or more cores,
  rather than four separate CPUs each with a single
  core.
• Intel Xeon or AMD Opteron Quad-Core processor
• 8GB RAM minimum
• 200GB Storage
• RDP with licensing
• Port 80 Opened

5
SQL and versions info

• SQL is short for Structured Query Language. It
  is the international standard used for Database
  manipulation
• Versions
• Express - designed for very small organizations
  (FREE)
• Standard - designed for small to midsize
  organizations (Requires License)
• Workgroup - designed for Branch applications
• Enterprise - designed for large organizations
• Datacenter - designed for large scale data
  centers
• Either Express or Standard will likely be used in
  most counties in NC

6
SQL versions performance

• Express while express is FREE and will work with
  most smaller LEAs, the performance of the
  Database may not match that of the Server.
• Number of CPUs supported 1
• Max Memory utilitized 1GB
• Max DB size 1
• Standard
• Number of CPUs supported 4
• Max Memory utilitzed 64GB
• Max DB size 524PB (1024 TB 1 PetaByte)

7
TIMS-SQL Preparing for the Conversion

• All schools will need to be located at addresses
  (no more locating at the node number.)
• Suggestion number your school driveway segments
  1-199, 2-200. Then relocate your schools to 199
  Manteo High School Dr or whatever number would
  put the school at the appropriate place on the
  segment.

199 Manteo High School Dr
8
School Relocation Steps

• Create a backup of TIMS before you begin
• Make segment/address edits in MARIS and run the
  appropriate maintenance
• Pull up the school in schools/tabular and click
  on the relocate button
• Beside New Location enter the address where you
  want the school to be located (this will be where
  you want the buses to go) then Confirm
• Run POSTRELOCATESCHOOL in EMU. You may need to
  create this batch
• Also make sure you relocate (edit location)
  your School Landmarks in MARIS

9
Relocate Stops to addresses

• Create a report to identify any stops that are
  located at nodes these will need to be
  relocated to addresses
• Click on the following to create the report
• Report
• User defined
• Stops/Runs/Routes
• Add
• New title 01. Stop Locations - OK
• Stop Location contains text -
• Done - Done
• Do you want to run this query now? Yes/OK
• Choose Stop Stop ID and Stop Location and Run
  RunID
• Done/Run Query

10
TIMS-SQL

• The report you just created will give you a list
  of all stops and checkpoints that will need to be
  relocated
• The RunID is included in this report to identify
  the runs the checkpoints are on unfortunately
  this will cause the school stops to show up
  several times, but you only have to relocate the
  school stop once using the stops/tabular/relocate
  function
• For each checkpoint you will have to go to the
  run, de-assign the checkpoint and recreate it
  using the correct address
• Corner stops do not need to be relocated if they
  were created using two street names (i.e. Elm St
  Pine St) if they were located at a node
  (4335) then you would need to locate them using
  the intersecting street names.

11
TIMS-SQL

• School/Grade
• Make sure you have all of your grades listed
  correctly in each school delete any grades not
  currently being used. Make sure you have added
  PK, P1, P2, P3, P4 and the associated bell times.
• Reports
• Under the User Defined Reports menu, review all
  of your reports to make sure they all run
  properly (no errors or messed up formatting).
  Delete any reports that you dont use.

12
TIMS-SQL

• Worklists
• Under your LIST menu go through and delete any
  worklists you dont use regularly.
• In TIMS-SQL there is an option to display or
  bring up a list in tabular mode by choosing the
  school code/grade with a drop down box, so you do
  not need a worklist for each school clear those
  out if you have them in your current data

Parts of the last name and district ID number
have been blocked in this screen shot.
13
TIMS-SQL

• Clean out Boundaries
• Go through your list of Boundaries and Delete any
  that you know you will not need. If you have old
  boundaries that you wish to keep for historical
  purposes please take this time to rename them
  appropriately. Putting a year date on old
  boundaries may be a good idea in case you need to
  refer to them in the future.
• North Middle School 08-09
• 08-09 North Middle School

14
Boundary Cleanup

• Take some time to review boundaries carefully.
  You want to make sure boundary points are
  inserted correctly, streets are split where
  necessary and the addressing on each side of the
  split is correct for the associated boundary.
• Next lets take a look at typical oversights we
  see in boundary drawings.

15

• Be careful not to cut the ends of the streets out
  of the boundary.
• When you draw in new streets remember to go back
  to your boundaries to make sure the streets are
  included in the boundaries you need them to be.

16

• These boundary points are not necessary, and
  could cause addressing to show up in these
  boundaries by mistake.

17

• Here is seems that someone tried to trace the
  street manually rather than using the trace
  street method. This will cause addressing to
  show up in the wrong boundaries.

18
Correct Splitting of a Street

• Using the trace street method will create a
  boundary to run down the exact middle of a
  segment.
• Create a fat map in Autostreeter to get a better
  view of how your boundaries are drawn in.

19
Correct saw-tooth method
20
TIMS-SQL

• When your time to convert to TIMS-SQL draws near
  your project leader will diagnose your data and
  review any other items that need attention with
  you.

21
TIMS Best Practices

• The TIMS Support Staff has put together a
  document of Best Practices this can be found
  at the link below. Please visit this page and
  review our suggestions. As always feel free to
  contact your TIMS Project Leader for help or
  suggestions.
• http//www.ncbussafety.org/TIMS/Reference/TIMS_Be
  st_Practices_Jan2013.pdf
• This can also be accessed from the main TIMS page
  or under Documents

22
Best Practices

• Regular (daily/weekly) UPSTUs
• Daily backups locally
• Weekly transfer of backup to Core FTP
• GIS or MARIS (add/edit new streets and/or
  addresses) updates as necessary to keep your map
  up to date  
• Daily EMU maintenance
• Plus morecheck document on the ncbussafety
  website for more information

23
Any Questions or Discussion ?